Suwannee River Named #10 on America’s Most Endangered Rivers® List of 2026 Due to Nitrate Pollution, Excessive Groundwater Withdrawals
Contact:
Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org
Haley Moody, Florida Springs Institute, Hmoody@floridaspringsinstitute.org
Ryan Smart, Florida Springs Council, Smart@floridaspringscouncil.org
Washington, D.C. — American Rivers is today naming the Suwannee River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2026, due to increasing threats from nitrate pollution and excessive groundwater withdrawals that are contaminating the river, causing vital springs to dry up, and threatening public health.
“Without stronger enforcement of pollution limits and increased investment in restoration, one of the Southeast’s most iconic and free-flowing rivers will be compromised, and community members will suffer serious health risks,” said Peter Raabe, Southeast regional director for American Rivers. “Protection efforts can’t only exist on paper. Floridians are depending on elected leaders to safeguard their water supply, and that takes funding and action.”
The Suwannee River flows nearly 250 miles from its headwaters in the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia through Florida before reaching the ocean. It drains a watershed of more than 11,000 square miles and is nourished by more than 300 freshwater springs fed by the Floridan Aquifer. These springs provide the majority of the river’s clear, cool flow and support diverse fish and wildlife, vibrant local economies, and recreation opportunities ranging from paddling to world-class cave diving.
“The tools are already in place to protect the Suwannee River and its springs. We need decisive action by the state of Florida to enforce these protections before it’s too late,” warns Haley Moody, director of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute.
Despite its status as an Outstanding Florida Water, the Suwannee River and its springs are facing rising pollution. Fertilizer and livestock runoff are fueling harmful algae blooms, lowering oxygen levels, harming fish and aquatic life, and creating health risks for people, including higher chances of cancer and birth defects.
Recent research shows dairy operations near the river system contribute 2.1 million pounds of nitrogen pollution each year. In addition, poorly maintained wastewater systems in communities along the river and its tributaries have repeatedly failed, releasing raw sewage into waterways. These pollution levels far exceed the 0.35 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen limit established by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to protect the river’s springs. Measurements in some springs along the Suwannee currently range from 5.0 to 6.0 mg/L, more than ten times the recommended limit.
At the same time, excessive groundwater pumping throughout the watershed is reducing flows from the Floridan Aquifer, causing some springs to weaken or run dry.
“Springs and rivers have been left high and dry in the Florida budget for far too long. In 2027, the Florida Legislature must prioritize increased funding for springs restoration and land conservation projects in rural areas like the Suwannee River,” said Ryan Smart, executive director of Florida Springs Council.
To save this river, American Rivers and our partners are calling on the next governor of Florida and the Florida Legislature to allocate $250 million in the 2027–2028 state budget for the Springs and Watershed Restoration Program. At the same time, the Department of Environmental Protection must fully enforce the Suwannee River Basin Management Action Plan and hold polluters accountable.
For more details on this river and the full America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list of 2026, including the selection process, click here.
###
American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 4.4 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and the strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers®. AmericanRivers.org
The mission of the Florida Springs Institute is to advance the stewardship, conservation, and restoration of Florida’s freshwater springs and aquifers through sound science and education. You can learn more at www.floridaspringsinstitute.org.